kooks vs. dr exhaust

[buckyboy]

ok, im considering doing the exhaust, the gears and tuner are on order. For a novice, what is the REAL difference between the two?.(dr vs kooks).is it just two main vendors that offer especially for the mm, or is there a particular difference?..they dont include mufflers correct?

[MarauderMark]

LOL!!:lol: Anyone , ANYONE????

[SouLRioT]

I don't think anyone want to stir the pot too much, but one easy thing i can add is that the DR mainfolds are made from ford, so it will look stock. While the Kooks will look more after market. Cobra25 has the DR set up, at the next meet check them out.

[Logan]

Kook's are a full header setup, DR Cobra exhaust uses coated cobra manifolds.

Beyond that, they're both high-flow exhaust systems. I recommend seeing both in person if possible before making up your own mind.

[buckyboy]

i didnt realise asking that would stir the pot...just wanted to know the actual difference, not a "ford or chevy argument." anyway, i saw cobra25's set up, that doesnt tell me the difference. no big deal, ill do my research.. im sure there are threads on both. thanks. steve
I don't think anyone want to stir the pot too much, but one easy thing i can add is that the DR mainfolds are made from ford, so it will look stock. While the Kooks will look more after market. Cobra25 has the DR set up, at the next meet check them out.

[buckyboy]

:confused: :confused: :confused: ??..did i miss something?
LOL!!:lol: Anyone , ANYONE????

[dwasson]

ok, im considering doing the exhaust, the gears and tuner are on order. For a novice, what is the REAL difference between the two?.(dr vs kooks).is it just two main vendors that offer especially for the mm, or is there a particular difference?..they dont include mufflers correct?

It depends on what oil you use.

[buckyboy]

would it also depend on what kind of liquid car wash i use?
It depends on what oil you use.

[hitchhiker]

What about Jame's custom tips?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[RF Overlord]

For a novice, what is the REAL difference between the two?.(dr vs kooks).?

Dennis's Cobra manifolds are the same ones that come on a Mustang Cobra, but with a ceramic coating to help keep heat in the exhaust, not in the engine compartment. As was stated above, they look stock, but flow much better than the manifolds that come with the MM.

The Kook's are a traditional long-tube "header", like the kind you see on hotrods at a car show...and most certainly do NOT look stock. They're also a little harder to install on the MM, but they add a bit more power at the low end versus the Cobra "manifold". I'm not sure you can say one is clearly superior to the other, it depends on what effect you are looking for...

[RCSignals]

Hmm, i thought the Kooks added the power at the upper end, with a small loss (of torque anyway) at the lower end?

[Logan]

No. The stock exhaust is completely useless past 5200rpm and the power curves drop like a rock on a N/A car. With either the Kook's or Cobra exhaust, the power curve just keeps on tracking upward.

Personally, I'm a header guy, but if I didn't have the money to spend, I wouldn't of hesitated bolting up the cobra manifolds...

In fact, I probably will on the upcoming daily driver Marauder...

[buckyboy]

say i went with the cobra exh. If i kept the stock mufflers, does this limit the potential of the new cobras?
No. The stock exhaust is completely useless past 5200rpm and the power curves drop like a rock on a N/A car. With either the Kook's or Cobra exhaust, the power curve just keeps on tracking upward.

Personally, I'm a header guy, but if I didn't have the money to spend, I wouldn't of hesitated bolting up the cobra manifolds...

In fact, I probably will on the upcoming daily driver Marauder...

[RF Overlord]

Using the stock mufflers with EITHER exhaust system will be a restriction...the stock inlet is small (2" IIRC)...I was originally planning to keep the factory mufflers, but decided on the Flowmasters for that reason...and the fact that the shop I used keeps them in stock. If you are concerned about cabin noise, just have your exhaust tech leave the stock tailpipes and tips in place. Pushing the tips slightly further out can also reduce the noise a bit more.

*EDIT*: The techs who installed mine commented on the fit and finish of the Cobra system...it all just bolted right in place, with minimal fabrication. Headers will require essentially complete fabrication of the rest of the system. This is not necessarily a big deal, just keep it in mind when selecting a shop to do the work.

[Logan]

What RF said. The stock pipes and mufflers are too restrictive. Long since proven.

[SergntMac]

say i went with the cobra exh. If i kept the stock mufflers, does this limit the potential of the new cobras?
Well, yes and no.

If you add just the DR Cobra exhaust kit, performance will improve and you'll like that. But, now you're on an escalator and moving up. You'll know that more performance will follow more changes to the remaining exhaust system. But, your sound will change, and so will your financial investment. If you like that first improvement, you can spend a bit more and it will be worth it. If not, you can stay where you are at, and be pleased with your investment.

Exhaust mods are flexible, "tunable" if you will. Discussion can spark debates, and those debates can get heated. Nonetheless, keep an eye on your cost (including labor) and sound factors. A full Kook's system front to back may run close to 1500 bucks in parts alone, and it's worth it, however jumping into the deep end first may leave you disappointed with the sound, or your investment.

IMHO, take it slow, debate each mod independently, and know when to say stop. Where ever you're at, you should be pleased with the results.

[Logan]

Mac said it better. :)

[RF Overlord]

Yeah...Mac said what I SHOULD have said...

[buckyboy]

gettin the FACTS i need to make my decision, thanks for keepin it facts:up: over opinion...much appreciated, thanks guys!

[buckyboy]

since the dr is a cobra manifold, and the org. mufflers on the mm would still be restrictivei n conjuction with the new manifold, what kind of mufflers are on the stock mustang cobra? Are they less restrictive ?:confused:

[cyclone03]

Using the stock mufflers with EITHER exhaust system will be a restriction...the stock inlet is small (2" IIRC)...I was originally planning to keep the factory mufflers, but decided on the Flowmasters for that reason...and the fact that the shop I used keeps them in stock. If you are concerned about cabin noise, just have your exhaust tech leave the stock tailpipes and tips in place. Pushing the tips slightly further out can also reduce the noise a bit more.

*EDIT*: The techs who installed mine commented on the fit and finish of the Cobra system...it all just bolted right in place, with minimal fabrication. Headers will require essentially complete fabrication of the rest of the system. This is not necessarily a big deal, just keep it in mind when selecting a shop to do the work.

I have to comment here,
If you get the complete Kooks set-up the only fabrication required is welding the stock tailpipes and a pair of supplied hangers to the mufflers.



As the owner of the Kooks set-up they do drop the below 3000rpm torque enough that the car feels soft down low,but they pick up quickly above that,and pull the power up above 5000 for sure.

[cutt]

I have to comment here,
If you get the complete Kooks set-up the only fabrication required is welding the stock tailpipes and a pair of supplied hangers to the mufflers.



As the owner of the Kooks set-up they do drop the below 3000rpm torque enough that the car feels soft down low,but they pick up quickly above that,and pull the power up above 5000 for sure.
what year cobra are we talking about?

[RF Overlord]

If you get the complete Kooks set-up the only fabrication required is welding the stock tailpipes and a pair of supplied hangers to the mufflers.

I didn't realise there was a "complete" setup...I thought Kooks only sold the headers themselves...thanks for clarifying that, cyclone... :up:

[cyclone03]

what year cobra are we talking about?


The "cobra" we speak of is the setup DR modifies to fit the Marauder,I don't know the OE year.

[cyclone03]

I didn't realise there was a "complete" setup...I thought Kooks only sold the headers themselves...thanks for clarifying that, cyclone... :up:

Owning this set up I wouldn't order anything but the complete system,CATS,X-Pipe,and mufflers.
All very nicely done.

[SergntMac]

They are 2003 Cobra manifolds, which may differ from earlier years because the '03 Cobra is a 4.6 DOHC, and supercharged.

http://www.svt.ford.com/vehicleCobraSpecs.asp

I've spoken with others here in the past, who mistakenly compared our stock exhaust manifolds with those from the Mach I, which are identical. The '03 Cobra manifolds and DR's kit are an improvement, and do deliver performance as promised. In my case, 30 RWHP and 20 foot pounds of RWTQ, your results may vary depending on other mods.

[MERCMAN]

I have the SVO "SHORTY" headers on my car, they are less expensive than the Kooks(I believe) and HP gains are similar. I had Zack install mine, took him less than an hour. before shortys, UD pullys, denso's and stat, HP was 257, after, a whopping 292, torque went up @8FTlbs. I went with flowmasters with the stock tips. Just another option available.

[buckyboy]

how does it sound?..rumple,throaty,drone?
I have the SVO "SHORTY" headers on my car, they are less expensive than the Kooks(I believe) and HP gains are similar. I had Zack install mine, took him less than an hour. before shortys, UD pullys, denso's and stat, HP was 257, after, a whopping 292, torque went up @8FTlbs. I went with flowmasters with the stock tips. Just another option available.

[Dan]

:confused: :confused: :confused: ??..did i miss something?

Yeah, you did. It has to do with a lot of stuff that went on around here before a lot of newer members were around.

Here is a little history. Basically, we have two vendors on this board who produce superchargers but each makes chargers based on different technology. A number of people have purchased their chargers from one of these two vendors.

A lot of people on this board take a long time to make decisions and, after thoroughly researching their products and making a decision feel that their decision is the best one to make. There is no harm in that.

As a result of folks feeling so strongly about the way they went there has been quite a bit of, shall I say "acrimony," about the matter of "charger A vs Charger B". Sadly, it has gotten to the point where this board is alsmot the last place you would want to go to find out what the differences are between the two.

Anyway, to make a long story short, whenever someone wants a comparison of the products made by two different vendors who are sponsors on this board quite a few of us say "Uh oh" to ourselves and duck.

I hope that I have explained it a little bit. I wasn't here for all of the history, only some of it.

BACK ON TOPIC
I didn't do a ton of research on the headers. A friend of mine with an MM let me drive it and I liked the sound of his car. That, and his strong recommendation was what helped me to decide to go with the Kooks. I also like the long running history that kooks has with racing as well as the way they treated me.

If you haven't called either company by now, perhaps that is a wise next step.

Best,

Dan

[buckyboy]

gotchya, thanks:up:
Yeah, you did. It has to do with a lot of stuff that went on around here before a lot of newer members were around.

Here is a little history. Basically, we have two vendors on this board who produce superchargers but each makes chargers based on different technology. A number of people have purchased their chargers from one of these two vendors.

A lot of people on this board take a long time to make decisions and, after thoroughly researching their products and making a decision feel that their decision is the best one to make. There is no harm in that.

As a result of folks feeling so strongly about the way they went there has been quite a bit of, shall I say "acrimony," about the matter of "charger A vs Charger B". Sadly, it has gotten to the point where this board is alsmot the last place you would want to go to find out what the differences are between the two.

Anyway, to make a long story short, whenever someone wants a comparison of the products made by two different vendors who are sponsors on this board quite a few of us say "Uh oh" to ourselves and duck.

I hope that I have explained it a little bit. I wasn't here for all of the history, only some of it.

BACK ON TOPIC
I didn't do a ton of research on the headers. A friend of mine with an MM let me drive it and I liked the sound of his car. That, and his strong recommendation was what helped me to decide to go with the Kooks. I also like the long running history that kooks has with racing as well as the way they treated me.

If you haven't called either company by now, perhaps that is a wise next step.

Best,

Dan

[buckyboy]

ok, im confused, if i order the cobra exhaust set up, i get what?..just a manifold?..any additional pipes, or whatever comes with it//?
I didn't realise there was a "complete" setup...I thought Kooks only sold the headers themselves...thanks for clarifying that, cyclone... :up:

[SergntMac]

Well stated, Dan, thank you! And, let's not forget the misunderstandings inherrent to this form of communications. One may be "ROTFLMAO" at an ingenious pun, while another misses that entirely, and responds with anger. Stuff happens quite accidently, but before you take it as an insult, check it out first? This just happened to me in another thread, where a reader completely missed my point, but no harm, no foul.

[duhtroll]

The DR exhaust comes with cobra manifolds, custom x-pipe, and adapters to hook up to the OEM 2.25" exhaust. Some say that by the time the exhaust gets back that far it's cooled enough to not warrant any gain from opening it up to all 2.5" which is what the x-pipe diameter is.

I went with 2.5" all the way back, and all stainless. Just in case. I had two 2.5" pipes fitted from the x-pipe to the mufflers, (18" magnaflows #14356) and 2.5" stainless tailpipes made (LOTS of work for this given that it goes around the axle in a "question mark" shaped bend - not the easiest to do with 2.5" stainless).

However, I really like the sound and performance now that it's done.

Hope this helps,
-A

PS Edit - Oh yeah - do a search on this, k? There's about 47 different threads on DR's exhaust. (and Kook's IIRC) That ought to keep you busy for a while. :)



ok, im confused, if i order the cobra exhaust set up, i get what?..just a manifold?..any additional pipes, or whatever comes with it//?

[cyclone03]

Dan good explaination of some of the little oddities around here.

The 2 exhaust sytems sold by our venders are really 3/4 systems.
Both use the stock tailpipes but replace everything forward.

My comments only apply to the Kooks set up because thats what I have.

I have seen and heard both setups,but only driven mine.


If you search the photos pages you'll find pics of both.
Searching the forums you'll find install tips too.

[MERCMAN]

how does it sound?..rumple,throaty,drone?\

Well, it has a deeper tone at idle, and WOT it is very throaty, I had a number of compliments on the sound. As to whether it sounds "better" than a Kooks system,, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. I am quite happy with it but I am sure I would be just as happy with the Kooks, it was a matter of finances for me.

[buckyboy]

well said, and i agree about the finances..
\

Well, it has a deeper tone at idle, and WOT it is very throaty, I had a number of compliments on the sound. As to whether it sounds "better" than a Kooks system,, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. I am quite happy with it but I am sure I would be just as happy with the Kooks, it was a matter of finances for me.

[Brother Mike]

well said, and i agree about the finances..
Speaking of finances-what is the cost of a Kooks with coating and labor? PM me if you don't want the Missus to know! :)

[HwyCruiser]

Hear the DR Cobra Exhaust and Magnaflows...


http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/images/video.gif (http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1594Exhaust_tone.wmv)

...commentary provided by a 16 month old :D.

- JD

[MERCMAN]

Speaking of finances-what is the cost of a Kooks with coating and labor? PM me if you don't want the Missus to know! :)

Send Nick at Kook's a PM, I am sure he will let you know the cost and will also answer any questions you may have about differences between his and other exhaust options

[Dan]

I just got my set for around 1300 with the MM discount. I chose the Jet-Hot 2000 coating which is about 200.

As expalined, the Kooks exhasut is everything from the block back to the tips. The tips need to be welded on to their set up but that is it for welding.

Best,

Dan

[MMSuperFan]

Speaking of finances-what is the cost of a Kooks with coating and labor? PM me if you don't want the Missus to know! :)
Just received mine from Kooks, the cost for Headers (with Jet Hot coating - not ceramic), X-Pipe and mufflers, including shipping, was $1,824. There is a performance speed shop with several Ford certified mechanics about 2 miles from my house and they are doing the install for $300. And....yes, they know they have to jack up the engine and there may be a couple of other hitches with the install. Still guaranted the $300 install price. I know of others on this site that say they have paid as much as $700.

[Dan]

I don't know if I posted pricing on my set up.

Kooks complete exhaust: ~$1300.00
Jet-Hot 2000 (from Jet-Hot: ~$200.00
Add shipping to your door and there you have your total price.

Best,

Dan

[MM03MOK]

Hear the DR Cobra Exhaust and Magnaflows...


...commentary provided by a 16 month old :D.

- JDNice - JD. Felt like I was in the back seat!

[rayjay]

I have the SVO "SHORTY" headers on my car, they are less expensive than the Kooks(I believe) and HP gains are similar. I had Zack install mine, took him less than an hour. before shortys, UD pullys, denso's and stat, HP was 257, after, a whopping 292, torque went up @8FTlbs. I went with flowmasters with the stock tips. Just another option available.
mercman, was this a kit -or- did you install the SVO shorties by themselves into stock system south of the manifolds?

[MAD-3R]

Hear the DR Cobra Exhaust and Magnaflows...


http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/images/video.gif (http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1594Exhaust_tone.wmv)

...commentary provided by a 16 month old :D.

- JD

He's got a preety steady hand for a 16 Month old. Nice Coments too.

[MERCMAN]

mercman, was this a kit -or- did you install the SVO shorties by themselves into stock system south of the manifolds?

kit included x pipe. I initially used stock exhaust and it was throatier than without the headers. I added the Flowmasters about a month afterwards and the difference was felt both SOTP and aurally!!